After a challenging non-conference schedule, things will not get much easier for the Eastern volleyball team when conference play begins this weekend.

The Panthers (1-11), coming off their first win of the season Saturday against Robert Morris, return home to Lantz Arena to face Murray State (6-6) Friday at 6 p.m. and Austin Peay (2-11) Saturday at noon.

Austin Peay had the best record in the OVC last season, but Murray State beat them in the OVC Tournament championship.

These two opponents may be struggling compared to last year, but as Eastern head coach Julie Allen said, that does not mean much; neither does Eastern’s 1-11 record.

“Everyone is 0-0. It doesn’t matter what you do in preseason,” Allen said. “Getting (the team) in the mindset that it doesn’t matter what happened last year, it doesn’t matter what happened in preseason, it’s who is going to come out of the gate doing what they do well and who’s going to stop the opponent or expose their weakness.”

Although records do not necessarily matter at this point, Allen said she thinks the team picking up their first win in their last non-conference match can be helpful.

“Probably having more wins under your belt helps you, but it depends on where those wins are coming from,” she said. “Are you playing a really tough team that made you earn it or are you playing somebody that is way below you?”

Allen said she thinks playing tough opponents helped Eastern in the early part of this season.

Among other things, the Panthers have been practicing situations where they are under pressure and have to finish sets strong and practicing maintaining higher kills per set.

Both of these were apparent in the Panthers’ performance in the Youngstown State Red and White Invitational Sept. 20 and 21. Eastern trailed 24-22 in the fourth set in its win against Robert Morris Sept. 21 before winning the set 28-26. Eastern then won the fifth set 15-13.

“If you practice something, it will soon come to fruition,” Allen said. “We’re less nervous at 0-0 than we are at 20-20. Everyone is. But if you can practice being at 20-20, and getting over those nerves, it’s going to be easier when it comes down to it.”

As far as kills per set numbers are concerned, Allen said that, statistically, getting to 16 kills a set puts a team in a better position to win. Eastern reached that number twice in the invitational after reaching it only once in the nine matches prior.

Despite this, the Panthers are last in the conference in kills per set, but they are just one kill shy of sixth place.

Much like this statistic so far this season, the OVC standings were relatively close last season, especially in the middle of the pack. Allen said she is looking forward to another season of conference play.

“This is going to be a good fight and a good battle,” she said. “There’s not one team technically on top right now.”

Also, Eastern’s Madison Cunningham was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.5 digs per set in the invitational. Cunningham currently ranks fourth in the conference with 4.49 digs per set.

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].